Liquid extraction with vacuum and heat



Oct. 27, 1953 H. J. RAND LIQUID EXTRACTION WITH VACUUM AND HEAT OriginalFiled Jan. 3l, 1948 x I $524: ...14.--,...nnw In lla! 1 12N l I i l,152,55,Stink? INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1953 LIQUIDEXTRACTION WITH VACUUM AND HEAT Henry J. Rand, Bratenahl, Ohio, assignorto H. J. Rand Washing Machine Corp., South Bend, Ind., a corporation ofDelaware Original application January 31, 1948, Serial No. 5,627.Divided and this application October 6, 1951, Serial No. 250,131

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in a washing machine whereinthe liquid detergent ls extracted from the laundry by the combined useof vacuum and heat.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.56227 led January 31, 1948.

One of the objects of the present invention is to squeeze the detergentout of wet laundry by the collapsing of a llexible bag upon the laundryutilizing a partial vacuum within the bag While at the same timeapplying heat to the laundry.

Another object of the present invention is to apply the above inventionby embedding an electrical heating element within the flexible bagitself so that as it presses upon the laundry it will apply heat to thelaundry at the same time.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the accompanying drawings and description and the essentialfeatures will be set forth in the appended claims,

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in centralsectional view showing one embodiment of my device, while Fig. 2 is afragmental elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 andillustrating another form of my invention.

I have chosen to illustrate my invention as applied to a washing machineof the general type disclosed and claimed in my copending application,Serial No. 682,322 filed July 9. 1946, now Patent No. 2,472,682, datedJune 7, 1949. In the present instance, within a tub I0 I provide ailexlble bag I I having an open top which is closed during a washingoperation by means of a top cover I2. A suitable seal I3 is providedbetween the top cover and the open top neck of the bag during thewashing and drying operations about to be described` In the centralportion of the bag I provide an oscillator I4 which is connected by adownwardly extending shaft I5 by means of which the agitator isoscillated by means not shown. Liquid is introduced into the interior ofthe bag I I through a conduit I6 coming up through the bottom of the tuband the bag. The agitator is perforated at Ma for the purpose of liquidflow. As described in my copending application, at the close of thewashing operation a pump is operated in connection with the conduit I6to withdraw the liquid and air from the interior of the bag, causing thesame to collapse to the broken line position of Fig. 1 so as to squeezethe liquid detergent out of the laundry. It is an object of the presentinvention to apply heat at the same time that the ilexible bag ispressing upon the laundry and while the latter is subjected to a partialvacuum. In the form of my device shown in Fig. 1 and claimed in theaforementioned application Scrial No. 5627, I provide a heating elementI1 in the interior of the agitator. This heating element is in heatconducting relationship with the post |41) of the agitator. The heatingelement shown is of the electrical type and is supplied by heat througha suitable source connected to the wires I8 and I9. In the drawing asshown the heating element is stationary while the agitator isoscillated. If necessary or desirable, however, the heating elementmight be secured to the sleeve I4b and sliding shoes at the point 20would transmit electricity to the heating element `while the agitatorwas oscillating.

In the for-m of my invention shown in Fig. 1, it will be obvious thatwhen the bag II has been collapsed inwardly against the laundry by thecreation of a vacuum inside the bag the laundry will be pressed tightlyagainst the agitator I4. At this time if the heat is supplied to theheating element I'I, the heat will be transmitted very eliiciently tothe bundle of laundry against the agitator because the laundry willsurround the heating element on al1 sides.

In the form of my device shown in Fig. 2 a wire heating element 2| isimbedded within the layers of the flexible bag I I this form of mydevice may be used with or without the heating element I'I shown inFig. 1. When the device of Fig. 2 is used, after the flexible bag II hasbeen collapsed inwardly against the laundry to squeeze the liquiddetergent out of the same, the electrical current is supplied throughlines Lr-Lz to the heating element 2l within the flexible bag itself.This will cause the bag to surround the bundle of wet laundry as a warmblanket and will aid in the evaporation of the remainder of the liquidin the laundry under vacuum.

The connection shown at 22 in Fig. 1 is for the carrying out of myinvention in still another manner. If the flexible bag II has no heatingelement 2l inside of it, nevertheless by the use of the connection 22heat may be applied to the laundry as it is pressed inwardly against theagitator. In this form of my device, after the bag has been collapsed tothe broken line position of Fig. l by the creation of a partial vacuuminside the bag, I open the valve 23 to admit through the line 22 aheated fluid such as steam under pressure. This will lill the spacebetween the bag II and the tub IIl so as to supply heat over the entirearea of the flexible bag and this heat will be transmitted through thebag to the laundry on the inside. At the same time, the pressure of thesteam will be added to the atmospheric pressure normally causing the bagto press against the laundry so that 'there `is in addition to 'theheat, the extra `additional pressure from the steam to cause thedetergent to be squeezed out of the laundry.

It Will be noted in al1 forms of ymy invention that I have takenadvantage of'thereducedvagpor Ytub havingT :an opening through :whichIlaundry may be inserted and removed, `and air- .rand

Water-tight closure for said opening, :means for agitating laundrywithin said element, means for withdrawing liquid and air from saidelement 4creating a substantial vacuum therein to cause said element tocollapse against said laundry to Y squeezeodt fthellf'iquidby @nessun-eithe outside thereof, fand heating means comprising a heating elementembedded in a wall of said flexible 4.element to evaporate liquid fromsaid laundry while .said liquid is subjected to a reduced vapor pressurecreated 'by said vacuum.

"2. Mechanism as in claim l wherein said heat- A.ing#means fccmzprises alengthof electrical refsi'stafncedvhe embedded in a Wall of said exibleelement.

HENRY J. RAND.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberNameV Date 1,263,392 .Elling Apr. 23., i918 2,472,682 .Rand June 17 19492,489,643 Hunter iNov.29 ,1194'9

